


Memories in a Tin

by notitlesapply



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Broken Promises, M/M, Post-Fall of Overwatch, Pre-Fall of Overwatch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-02 11:35:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20275255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notitlesapply/pseuds/notitlesapply
Summary: Eight years ago, Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes spent a single blissful day out hiking in the mountains away from the responsibilities and expectations that weighted down upon them. At the time, they thought their bond was stronger than ever, and commemorated the day with a secret.In the present, Soldier:76 digs up the remains.





	Memories in a Tin

**Author's Note:**

> Written as part of the Reaper76 RBB! This was a pinch hit for the talented [Nowherebear](https://twitter.com/nowherebearart). Check out the beautiful artwork [here](https://twitter.com/nowherebearart/status/1163591183001456640)

**Present Day – Zurich, Switzerland **

Zurich had changed since the last time Jack and Ana saw it. But that was only to be expected. They were over half a decade removed from the Overwatch Swiss Base explosion. The familiar shape of Overwatch's headquarters no longer made up part of the landscape. The ruin had been cleaned up, and other new buildings had taken over. It looked like, for the most part, Zurich had moved on. Still the ghost of Overwatch hung heavily on the city, and while people were moving on with their lives, they hadn't fully forgotten. There were still solemn memorials and lingering small shrines dotting the city, mementos to a bygone era and that tragic day.

Ana smiled ruefully at an old faded Overwatch poster still hanging in one of Zurich's alleyways. The poster pictured the original strike team, looking young, heroic, and oh so naive.

“This is dangerous, Jack,” she murmured to her companion, “We will be recognized here.”

Jack snorted, ripping down the poster with disdain. He hated looking at his face as it had been back then. That bland empty smile was just a reminder of what a fool he had been.

“Hardly,” Jack said as he crumpled up the poster and tossed it away, “The public remembers the golden heroes. They don't expect old broken down soldiers like us. Still, we'll keep our heads down. Blend in with the crowd. Remember, we're just a couple of idiot tourists.”

“You still remember Gabriel's lessons then,” Ana laughed, looping her arm through his as they ambled out into the crowded streets. They both were certainly dressed like tourists. Ana had on the floppiest hat Jack had ever seen, while Jack wore what Ana swore was the most stereotypical Hawaiian shirt in the world. She was almost embarrassed to see that he wore socks with his sandals. Both of them wore sunglasses, to help hide their faces. If it weren't for the fact that they still walked in a brisk military fashion, they would have easily passed as a casual couple enjoying their retirement. Even so, it wasn't too noticeable, especially with Ana occasionally poking at Jack's side to remind him to hunch his shoulders.

They made it to their hotel without any fuss. No one recognized them. They both did a quick sweep of the room, and once they were confident the parameter was secure, Ana started to unpack.

“Don't get too comfortable,” Jack cautioned her, “Remember we're not staying here long.”

“So why come here in the first place?” Ana huffed, her arms akimbo, “It's too much of a risk coming back to Zurich. Our faces are too recognizable. Besides, didn't you want to actually go to the Alps? Why not stay in Lucerne instead?”

Jack didn't answer her right away. Instead, his gaze drifted out the window. The city's skyline was so _different_. Right there, between those two buildings, that's where Overwatch Headquarters should be.

“You're right,” Jack murmured, feeling guilty, “This was unnecessary. But I...”

He trailed off. He clenched his jaw, feeling like an old sentimental fool. Idiot. Stupid Jack. Letting sentiment trump logic.

Ana sighed, snapping Jack out of his thoughts.

“Don't be so hard on yourself, Jack,” Ana said, patting his shoulder fondly, “I didn't exactly protest that hard when you suggested coming here in the first place. I also wanted to see home again.”

“Home, huh,” Jack laughed ruefully under his breath.

**Eight Years Ago – Zurich, Switzerland; Overwatch Headquarters**

Gabriel Reyes was a man on a mission, and nothing was going to get in his way. He barged into Jack's office, determination written all over his face. He groaned out loud when he saw what was before him.

Jack was all but buried beneath stacks of paperwork and video screens. His usually neatly combed hair was in disarray from being pulled every which way in frustration. He was was still staring down at some paperwork, chewing on the end of his stylus. He hadn't even glanced in Gabriel's direction. It was as if Jack was so deep into reading reports, he had barely noticed Gabriel entering the office. At the moment, Jack was reading over the latest news from that upcoming terrorist group, Talon. Gabriel frowned. Talon was becoming a thorn in Overwatch's side, and Gabriel couldn't wait to get rid of them if only to minimize Jack's stress levels.

“For fuck's sake, Jack, you need a vacation,” Gabriel complained loudly causing the other man to startle badly.

“Eh?” Jack blinked up at Gabriel from behind the mess on his desk. The Blackwatch commander scowled, clearly frustrated.

“Look at you,” Gabriel groused, waving his hand around Jack's office, “You've been stuck behind a desk for months. When was the last time you saw the sun?”

“Hey, I still go on my morning jog,” Jack protested.

“Before the sun rises,” Gabriel countered, “I checked your schedule. You haven't taken a vacation in over three years.”

“I...it hasn't been that long,” Jack said weakly, “I mean, last Christmas...”

“You worked through it,” Gabriel scoffed, “Jack, you need a break. Fuck, _I _need a break.”

Jack chewed his lip, looking torn. “But I don't have time to—”

Gabriel cut Jack off, “I'm not saying we should go away for a week or whatever. Just take a day. We can go to to the Alps. It's a little over an hour from here.”

“The Alps?”

“Look, I know it's been awhile since you communed with nature or whatever it is you country boys do,” Gabriel said, “So I was thinking, we should take a day off and go hiking.”

“A hike?” Jack blinked, still slightly confused, “But you hate—”

“Shut up, I do not,” Gabriel sniffed, “A hike will be good. It'll be fun. I'm going to make this the most memorable hike in your life.”

Jack smiled fondly. “So you're coming with me?”

Gabriel shrugged. “It's been ages since we've been able to do something together. And it's only for a day—Overwatch can spare us for a day, right?”

“I..okay. Let's do it,” Jack nodded, grinning, “Hiking in the Alps. Should we invite the others? We could make a day of it.”

Gabriel stiffened. Seriously, Jack was just being obtuse now. “I was hoping that it would just be us. I guess if you want to invite the others, we could, but...”

“Oh. OH!” Jack said, suddenly getting it, “Uh. Yes. I mean no! I mean...It's probably best if it was only us. It would be nice...And. Um. And...We don't want to leave the base understaffed.”

The tension in Gabriel's shoulders drained away, and he snickered a bit at Jack's fumbling. Jack's face began to redden, though a fond smile was creeping on his face.

“Right!” Jack laughed, awkwardly, “So. It'll be just...us.”

“Yep, just us,” Gabriel echoed, a slightly smug smile on his face, “You like that, hmm Jack?”

The blush on Jack's face deepened further. Gabriel snickered, and poked one of Jack's bright red cheeks teasingly. It was rather cute seeing Jack get flustered. Normally the blond was so unflappable.

“So when do you want to go?” Jack asked, trying to compose himself.

“Friday next week,” Gabriel declared, “I already got your schedule cleared. We'll just do a day trip so don't worry about packing too much gear. I'll take care of all the logistics. I thought we could have a picnic while we were there, and bury a time capsule.”

“A time capsule? Is that even allowed?”

“Hey it's not going to hurt anyone,” Gabriel shrugged, “It'll be our little secret. And I thought it would be fun.”

“It does sound fun,” Jack laughed, “Okay, lets do it!”

**Present Day – Zurich, Switzerland**

Jack woke up the next day as he usually did: in pain. He cursed quietly under his breath, and rolled out of bed. He stumbled into the bathroom, lifted his shirt, and tried to use the mirror to get a look at his back.

Blackened damaged flesh greeted him. It looked the same as always, so it wasn't getting any worse. But it wasn't getting any better either.

Most days, Jack still could not believe it. Gabriel shot him. Gabriel shot him _in the back. _Some part of Jack, some young naive part that still believed in heroes, righteousness, and Gabriel Reyes, insisted that this was all a mistake. That Gabriel didn't mean to hurt him, or that Gabriel was pretending to be the villain as part of an undercover operation. After all, Gabriel had the opportunity to shoot Jack in the head and just kill him outright. Gabriel was playing double agent, surely.

Another part of Jack simply mourned, his belief thoroughly shattered. Gabriel had shot Jack in the back. The symbolism was so potent, that Jack could almost choke on it.

Gabriel always did love symbolism.

“I still say we should go see Angela,” Ana said from the doorway, snapping Jack out of his thoughts. He hadn't realized she was awake. Jack dropped his shirt, hiding the damage.

“We don't need to bother her. I'll live,” Jack said, “The pain is only really bad in the mornings.”

“Jack,” Ana sighed, shaking her head, “We have no idea what is going on with it. You're not healing like normal. Gabriel's abilities...”

“Usually kill people,” Jack said flatly, “It hasn't killed me. The SEP enhancements are doing their job. I'm fine.”

“Jack...”

“Besides, this hike would be a good test. If I can handle hiking all day, then it's not a big deal. If I can't...”

“We'll go see the good doctor?”

“...We'll see,” Jack shrugged, unwilling to commit to anything, “Come on. Let's get ready.”

Ana was overreacting. Jack was fine. Really.

**Eight Years Ago – Zurich, Switzerland**

Gabriel woke up the next day as he usually did: in pain. He cursed quietly under his breath, and rolled out of bed. He stumbled into the bathroom, lifted his shirt, and took a good look in the mirror.

Stray smoke was already wafting off his body. The skin on his chest looked patchy, parts of it having turned an unnatural sickly gray. He closed his eyes, and concentrated. The gray skin faded away, turning back to a deep healthy mahogany, and the smoke dissipated. Gabriel rubbed at his chest, checking to make sure there were no more lingering dead patches on his skin.

He was grateful that so far Jack hadn't noticed anything yet. It was easy enough for Gabriel to hide his condition. So far the worst of it only really showed up in the morning, and with a bit of mental discipline, Gabriel could make it go away. And with their busy schedules, they hadn't had much time to be alone together recently. Just a few moments sneaked in here and there.

Really, this upcoming hike was their first real date in ages. Gabriel was determined for it to go well. Sure Gabriel would have preferred going to a nice restaurant in town or maybe catch a movie. But the paparazzi would be all over them like flies. Gabriel didn't want that. He wanted to see Jack happy and relaxed for once. And Jack loved being outside. A hike was perfect.

But before they could take off without worry, there was still work to be done. Gabriel checked his schedule for the day. There was a planning session in the afternoon on the Talon threat. Gabriel scowled. Talon was a pain, but Gabriel had some ideas. He just hoped they could pull together the resources for it. There was also a reminder for a doctor's visit. A check up with Moira. Fuck.

Gabriel trudged to her lab, trying not to feel too apprehensive. Really the check up was probably a good thing. Gabriel didn't want his condition get in the way of his date with Jack.

“Good to see you, Commander,” Moira greeted him as he took his place on one of the lab's examination tables, “How are you feeling?”

“Same as always,” Gabriel replied, “There was some dead skin again this morning, but it cleared up like usual.”

“I see,” Moira hummed as she made a few notes, “It hasn't spread or gotten worse in anyway?”

“No.”

“Good.”

Moira went about taking Gabriel's vitals in silence. She took his temperature, checked his blood pressure and heart rate. She drew a few vials of blood, then simply stared at Gabriel, a thoughtful expression on her face. Gabriel frowned, feeling uneasy under her too sharp gaze.

“How long until you find a way to reverse this?” Gabriel asked, trying to break the silence.

“Reverse?”

“Yeah, reverse,” Gabriel said, “You paying attention, doc?”

Moira gave him a thin smile. “Of course, Commander. You need not worry. I believe I have some ideas on what to do next. I think I can have something prepared in two weeks.”

“Good,” Gabriel said, hopping down from the table. “If that's all, then I'm going to get to work.”

“Have a good day, Commander.”

Gabriel left Moira's office, feeling a spark of hopefulness. He wanted to resolve this issue quickly, before Jack caught on. With all the usual pressure that Jack was under, Gabriel didn't want to add to it. But Gabriel knew it was only a matter of time before Jack noticed. Gabriel knew how Jack would be.

Jack would overreact. Gabriel was fine. Really.

**Present Day - Switzerland**

“So what are we looking for out here?” Ana asked Jack quietly as they drove their little rental towards the Swiss Alps.

“Eight years ago, Gabe and I went hiking in the Alps.”

“Hiking? _Gabriel_? But he hated—”

Jack smiled slightly. “Yeah, I know. But he insisted. And it went...well, I suppose. It was nice. Nice and relaxing. We had a picnic on the trail. The weather was good, and there were a bunch of wildflowers in bloom. Um, edelweiss.”

“Edelweiss? What an oddly specific thing for you to remember, Jack.”

“Gabriel talked a lot about them while we were there,” Jack shrugged, “You know how he was, he loved all sorts of symbolism, like flower language. Said edelweiss represented adventure, so it fit us...All of Overwatch, really.”

“That sounds nice,” Ana said, “Where was I during all of this? I would have loved to have gone with you. So would have the others. It would have been a nice team building exercise.”

“Sorry, it was just Gabe and me,” Jack shrugged, “Anyway, while we were up there, we buried a time capsule up there. We thought we could go back and fetch it.”

“Just you and Gabriel, hiking and picnicking on the Alps. If I didn't know any better, I would say you were on a date,” Ana laughed.

Jack's heart skipped a beat, though outwardly he had no reaction. It _had _been a date, one of the best that Jack ever had. But it wasn't supposed to be. There had been rules against fraternization back then, especially since that as Strike-Commander, Jack was Gabriel's direct superior. Jack and Gabriel _shouldn't_ have fallen in love. But they did. It had been a messy relationship, one that had to be kept hidden at all cost. It had doomed them, that secrecy. Even now, Jack couldn't talk about it. It was too painful.

“Don't be silly, Ana,” Jack said, even as all the memories crowded up in his head, “Gabriel was a professional. We both were. And besides, we were married to our jobs.”

“Mmm. That's true,” Ana agreed, “And all of us were terrible with relationships anyway.”

There was a tight ball in the back of Jack's throat.

“Yeah. Yeah we were.”

**Eight Years Ago – The Swiss Alps**

By the time Gabriel and Jack started hiking, to Gabriel's delight, Jack was positively glowing under the sun. The years of stress seemed to have fallen away from the blond's shoulders. He was fully in his element out here. It made Gabriel happy to see Jack so carefree.

Feeling a bit bold, Gabriel laced his fingers through Jack's. Jack looked over at Gabriel, surprised.

“Some one might see us,” Jack cautioned, but he didn't let go. In fact, he squeezed Gabriel's hand and held on tight, as if warding against someone ripping them apart.

“Its fine, no one is around,” Gabriel assured him, “Nobody is going to lay into the Strike-Commander for 'seducing a subordinate.'”

“As if you were ever really my subordinate,” Jack laughed, shaking his head, “Really, it should have been you as Strike-Commander.”

Gabriel snorted, “In what universe, boy scout? The Strike-Commander needs to make the speeches, kiss the babies, give everyone the warm fuzzies while being a heroic badass, _and _on top of that, get the _funding_. You're good at that. People like you. I don't have the patience for that shit. I've said it once, and I'll say it again: Overwatch already has the best Strike-Commander. You. Without you, this whole operation falls apart.”

“That's not true,” Jack protested, “You're a great leader. You could do what I do easily.”

“You're selling yourself short, Jack,” Gabriel grumbled, “Okay, lets put it this way. Blackwatch needs me more than Overwatch does. I'm good at spec-ops. I get more done there. Just like you get more done on the front half of the house. We got to divide and conquer. Understand?”

“Yes,” Jack nodded, looking thoughtful, “But one day soon...I'd like to retire. I don't want to keep hiding our relationship just because of our jobs. I'd like to retire one day and live with you.”

“Yeah, one day soon,” Gabriel agreed, smiling lightly, “Don't worry, boy scout. All this sneaking around is just for now. Once we clean up Talon, we can retire to the Bahamas or something. Get a house together. And a cat.”

“Not a dog?”

“We could get both.”

They continued chatting away, dreaming of the future. Gabriel grinned happily at Jack as they debated the merits of naming their future cat Mittens versus Socks. Gabriel didn't bother thinking about his health and the strange smoke that had started coming off his skin. By the time he and Jack retired, his body would surely be back to normal.

**Present Day – Swiss Alps**

By the time Jack and Ana had made it halfway up the trail, Ana was all but spent.

“Jack, how much longer?” she asked, breathing heavily.

“We've still got a ways to go,” Jack said apologetically, as he handed her a bottle of water. She took it, drinking down the cool liquid gratefully. As she drank, she looked over Jack critically. To her envy, he barely look winded.

“Super-soldiers,” she sniffed.

“I told you I would be fine,” Jack smiled as she glared at him, “A lot of my enhancements were geared towards endurance.”

“No wonder you and Gabriel went alone,” Ana grumbled, taking another swig of water, “None of us would have been able to keep up.”

“We can rest for a bit and then continue.”

Ana waved him off. “Don't be foolish, I'm slowing you down. Just grab what we're here for and meet me back here.”

Jack nodded. “Okay. If you're sure.”

“Yes,” Ana confirmed, “Though before you go, what are you expecting to find in that time capsule, Jack?”

Jack hesitated for a moment before answering. “We put the usual crap in there. Newspaper clippings. Photos. A few trinkets. But most importantly, we had taken a camera with us when we went hiking. Gabe added the memory card from it into the time capsule.”

“What's so important about that?”

“Gabe was always working,” Jack murmured, “Even when he was relaxing, he was working. That's how he was.”

“That's how we all were,” Ana reminded him.

“Yeah,” Jack agreed, “But Gabe took it to the next level. He liked being sneaky—hiding things in plain sight. I'm willing to bet that there's more on that memory card than just some photos.”

“That's a fair assumption,” Ana admitted, “Hopefully it's still there.”

“Hopefully,” Jack echoed.

Jack left Ana, making sure she had plenty of food and water before heading further up the trail. He made it up to the end of the trail in record time. And then he veered off the main trail to a more secluded spot.

For a moment, he was thrown back in time. A lush field stood before him, ending on a cliff. The sky overhead was a pure crystal blue, the sun a shining gold disk in the sky. In the distance, Jack could see the cloud wreathed peaks of other mountains. White flowers bloomed around him. Edelweiss. Jack remembered Gabriel telling him about the meaning behind the flowers.

Edelweiss represented adventure, but they also meant...they also stood for...

In a daze, Jack wandered closer to the cliff edge where he and Gabriel had buried the time capsule all those years ago. A cool breeze flew in, rustling his hair and kissing his cheeks. It was a gentle touch, like that from a lover. Jack turned his head, almost expecting to see Gabriel there.

There was nothing, not even a shadow.

**Eight Years Ago – Swiss Alps**

It's funny how you can live in one place for over a decade and never really _see_ it. Gabriel and Jack had both lived primarily at Overwatch's Swiss headquarters for ages. The Alps were always a short distance away. It had always been available as a quick getaway spot, but this was the first time either of them had taken advantage of it.

They made good time on the trail, the SEP enhancements allowing them to travel longer and faster than most. They couldn't afford to spend too much time here; they were only allowed a day after all and they had to be back the next day.

“Oh look, edelweiss,” Gabriel laughed, pointing out the flowers that grew along the way, “How fitting.”

“What do you mean?” Jack asked curiously.

“They mean adventure in the language of flowers,” Gabriel explained, “And love. Pretty fitting for us, right?”

“Adventure, huh?” Jack hummed, a mischievous gleam in his eye, “What do you think about going exploring?”

Then he stepped off the trail.

“Jack are you crazy?” Gabriel protested, even as he followed, “That's how people get lost in the woods, you idiot!”

“Don't worry, I brought a compass,” Jack laughed, “And GPS technology has come a long way you know!”

“Of course you brought a compass, you damned boy scout,” Gabriel groaned. Despite his grumbling, he was smiling, fully trusting in Jack's survival skills. If rampaging omnics couldn't put them down, then a walk off the beaten path would be nothing. They walked deeper into the woods, time seemingly slipping away, before they came across an open field. The lush field ending on a cliff. There weren't any guard rails, suggesting that this was a pretty secluded spot. The sky overhead was a pure crystal blue, the sun a shining gold disk in the sky. In the distance, they could see the cloud wreathed peaks of other mountains.

And all around them the edelweiss were in full bloom.

“Oh wow,” Jack breathed, grinning from ear to ear, “This looks amazing.”

“Yeah, it does,” Gabriel agreed, but he wasn't looking at the scenery. He was looking at Jack. Jack moved closer to the cliff's edge, careful not to go to far. He marveled at the picturesque landscape before him. A cool breeze flew in, rustling his hair and kissing his cheeks. He closed his eyes, savoring the sensation. He looked so beautiful. Gently, Gabriel touched Jack's cheek, causing blue eyes to flutter open. Jack turned his head, smiling softly as he let Gabriel pull them together into a sweet kiss.

Jack smiled into the kiss, soaking up the affection like a sponge. Gabriel loved it...loved Jack. Gabriel peppered Jack's face with small kisses, causing the other man to laugh and kiss back. It was rare that they could be intimate like this. It was nice...better than nice.

Gabriel decided then and there that cleaning up Talon would be the last task he would undertake. Jack was right—keeping their relationship under wraps was terrible. Besides, they weren't meant to run Overwatch forever. They had done their duty to the world. After Talon was done for, Gabriel wanted to see if his and Jack's relationship could grow properly in the light.

“This was a good idea,” Jack murmured against Gabriel's lips before they drew apart, “Thank you for bringing me here.”

“You're welcome,” Gabriel replied, “Now let's eat some lunch. We'll put together the time capsule and bury it after.”

“Sure,” Jack agreed, “We can bury it here. No one but us will be able to find it.”

“You think you'll remember how to find this place again?” Gabriel teased as he started pulling out the lunch from his pack.

“Of course,” Jack said confidently, “Nothing to it.”

Lunch was a simple affair. Neither one of them had time to properly cook anything, so they had brought along some leftovers from the Overwatch cafeteria. And while it was the same food they always ate at headquarters, it somehow tasted better under the open sky.

Gabriel had brought a camera along. They snapped some pictures together, trying to get perfect shots of the beautiful view. Gabriel had even been able to snap a few shots of the two of them laughing and kissing while sprawled out on the field.

“Aren't you worried that someone is going to find those?” Jack asked.

“Nah,” Gabriel shook his head, “I was already planning on burying the memory card here in the time capsule.”

They placed a few newspaper clippings (including one article heralding the latest medical advances sponsored by Overwatch) some photos, Jack's compass, and one of Gabriel's fancy fountain pens into a metal box along with the memory card. Gabriel carefully sealed the box with a waterproof material, and then together they buried it in the field.

“When do you think we should come back for it?” Jack asked, “Ten years? Twenty?”

“Ten years is too long,” Gabriel complained, “I say five.”

“Five is too short!”

The two of them argued about it good-naturedly all the way back down the mountain. No matter what timeline they decided on, they were certain they would be back—together.

**Present Day – Swiss Alps**

Eight years. It took eight years for the time capsule to be unearthed. And Jack was alone.

Wild edelweiss had grown over the spot that the time capsule had been buried in. Jack was forced to pull them out to get to the box. For a moment, he stared at the slightly crushed flowers in his hand.

Gabriel never told Jack, but Jack learned later that edelweiss also meant sacrifice. Love, adventure, _sacrifice_...Gabriel had been right. The flower really was symbolic of their relationship.

Jack finally pulled the box out of the earth. It was still completely sealed. He turned it over in his hands, a lump forming in his throat.

He wished that he was digging up this box under better circumstances. Really, this box belonged in part to a different Jack Morrison than himself. A gentler Jack. A happier one, still in love and still full of foolish hope. The Jack Morrison of now, the infamous Soldier:76, was just a thief, riffling through two dead men's belongings.

Later that night, Jack and Ana sorted through the capsule's contents. Jack quickly took the memory card for himself, while Ana sifted through the old photos and newspaper articles. Jack inserted the memory card into an old tablet, quickly skipping past the nostalgic photos.

If Ana noticed Jack and Gabriel's less than professional relationship captured on the photos, she didn't comment. Jack hoped she hadn't seen. He wasn't quite ready to talk to her about what he and Gabriel had almost had.

“Hey, I think I found something,” Jack announced, beckoning Ana over, “There's a video on here.”

“Did you film anything with Gabriel that day?” Ana asked as she took a seat next to Jack.

Jack shook his head. “No. I think this might be the clue we're looking for.”

“Well what are you waiting for? Play it!”

Jack started up the video, his heart in his throat. For a second there was just a blank screen. Then it flickered and the Gabriel from eight years ago appeared.

Gabriel smiled wearily into the camera.

“Hey Jack,” the familiar cadence of Gabriel's voice echoed through the speakers, “If you're watching this, either I've died or I'm next to you and we're laughing ourselves sick over this.”

Jack bit his lip. The answer was neither of those. He and Ana gave each other a curious look.

“Anyway,” Gabriel continued, “If I'm dead, then it's confession time. Look, I know you've always had your suspicions that I didn't tell you everything that I found. You're right. There was stuff I kept back.”

“Oh Gabriel, you fool,” Ana sighed, sadness and regret etched all over her face, “You should have...”

“Leaned on us more?” Jack suggested, “Been less of a paranoid bastard?”

The video continued.

“I hid the info in a secure location. I'll post the coordinates at the end of the video. Everything is there. Every scrap, every detail. I update it constantly. There's a bio-metric lock on it and a password. Don't worry, I've keyed you to it. The password is the same one you use for your phone.”

“Damn it, Gabe,” Jack hissed, feeling pained, “Why didn't you give this to me sooner?”

“You're probably wondering why I didn't tell you about this earlier,” Gabriel's recording said, echoing Jack's thoughts, “I told you before that you have your role in Overwatch and I have mine. You didn't need to be burdened with Blackwatch's dirty secrets anymore than I needed to be saddled with the Strike-Commander's responsibilities. Divide and conquer, remember?

“But, if I'm dead, the duty goes to you,” Gabriel sighed, leaning heavily back in his chair. He looked tried, worn thin, with dark circles under his eyes.

“I'm sorry to leave you with this,” Gabriel said, “If I had my way, we would go on like we always did. But I think—no, I _know_ we can't go on like this. So either: we're retired old bastards watching this and laughing together; or I'm dead, and I'm sorry that I can't give you what you deserve.”

“What I deserve,” Jack muttered under his breath. What was that, he wondered? The truth? His life back? A bullet to the back?

(Or maybe it was a peaceful retirement with the man he loved.)

“What I can give you is one last adventure,” Gabriel offered in the video, as he leaned forward in his chair, “What do you say, boy scout?”

With that the video ended, and a set of coordinates appeared on the screen. Automatically, Jack went to write them down.

“This could be a trap,” Ana cautioned.

“A trap almost a decade in the making?” Jack scoffed, “No, this is real. I want this to be real.”

Ana threw up her hands, sighing heavily, “Alright, fine. I'll start packing. You look up the coordinates.”

Jack nodded, and Ana left him to start packing. He looked down at the coordinates, his stomach in knots. Suddenly, the video kicked back up, and Gabriel appeared back on screen.

“Hey Jack? I almost forgot something important,” Gabriel said, looking straight at the camera—straight at Jack, “I want you to know, I do care for you. I love you. I think I've loved you for...a long time now. Just remember that, okay?”

The video finally switched off. Jack stared at the screen for a few minutes. The damaged skin on his back suddenly seemed searing hot and painful.

“Oh fuck you, Gabe,” Jack croaked, closing his eyes to ward off the tears that threatened to come, “That's not fair.”

–

Somewhere, in a hidden corner of the world, the Talon agent known as Reaper was looking at a calendar. Idly he remembered that it was the anniversary of a certain event from eight years ago. Two more years to go before he should go retrieve the package he had left hidden in the Swiss Alps.

Reaper entered a bit of data into a hidden system, just as he had done for years, and wondered when Soldier:76 would come looking.


End file.
